Funding Opportunities for Students and Recent Graduates

We provide funding opportunities for you throughout your studies and into your career. Some MSU opportunities are at the beginning; then weâ€™ve listed opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs. For job opportunities, please go to this page. Please contact us at (espp@msu.edu) with questions or comments.

Opportunities for Undergraduate Students

EnviroHub InternshipEnviroHub is looking for an intern with excellent oral and written communication skills and a
strong passion for environmental education. Our candidate will work towards the development
and expansion of our EnviroLiteracy library, increased marketing efforts throughout our social
media, as well as the promotion of local sustainability groups and events in your area. No deadline.

Opportunities for Graduate Students

Archaeology Program - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (Arch-DDRI) – NSF 14-566
The Archaeology Program supports anthropologically relevant archaeological research. This means that the value of the proposed research can be justified within an anthropological context. It also has no priorities in regard to theoretical orientation or question and it is the responsibility of the applicant to explain convincingly why these are significant and have the potential to contribute to anthropological knowledge. While the Program, in order to encourage innovative research, neither limits nor defines specific categories of research type, most applications either request funds for field research and/or the analysis of archaeological material through multiple approaches.
Proposals accepted anytime.

Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program Applicants can apply to the following awards:
Postdoctoral Research Awards: US$30,000 for one academic year (9 months), or US$50,000 for 12 month programs.
Distinguished Chairs Program : US$35,000 for one semester (4 months). The Distinguished Visiting Research Chairs are targeted opportunities at select universities in Alberta designed to host exceptional scholars and experienced professionals who conduct research in a specific area.
Visiting Research Chairs Program: US$25,000 for one semester (4 months). Visiting Research Chairs are targeted opportunities at select universities/institutions designed to host exceptional scholars and experienced professionals who conduct research in a specific area.
Traditional (All Disciplines) Award: US$12,500 for one semester (4 months). These awards are field open and can be taken up at any university, think tank, or government agency in Canada.
Fulbright-Carlos Rico Award for North American Studies: US$12,500 for one semester in Canada plus US$2,300 per month in Mexico
Specialists Program: Short-term collaboration on curriculum and faculty development, institutional planning and a variety of other activities at Canadian institutions.
Fulbright Arctic Initiative: US$40,000, for an 18-month period for a regional applied network of interdisciplinary collaborative research focused on the Arctic. The Fulbright Arctic Initiative will identify both established experts and early career specialists from the eight Arctic Council countries to carry out collaborative research to assess the impact of change in the Arctic from an interdisciplinary perspective. Varies

Center for Field Research, EarthwatchResearchers work with Earthwatch volunteers on social and natural science topics. For doctoral students, post-docs, and faculty. $17,000-$51,000. About 150 projects funded annually. Note: Limited funding currently available (July 2009) Continuous. Must be submitted at least 18 months in advance.

Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowship, Social Science Research Council A workshop designed to help graduate students in the humanities and social sciences formulate doctoral dissertation proposals. The program is organized around distinct research fields, which vary yearly. This year, topics relating to the environment are ecological history and globalization. Includes $5000 for research. February 1 (annual)

Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program, NOAA For Masters and PhD research in oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology, (including all science, engineering, social science and resource management of ocean and coastal areas). Particularly intended for women and minorities. For students enrolled or about to enroll in graduate school. Two - four years of support. $30,000/ year stipend + tuition and research funds. Five awards annually. February 22 (annual)

Estimating Economic Benefits of Improved Water Quality Using Hedonic Valuation Methods - U.S. EPAThe goal of this project is to develop improved methods to evaluate the economic benefits associated with water-quality improvements. This research aims to extend the use of observed changes in property prices to value changes in water quality. The research will expand the geographic scope of existing hedonic valuation literature and explore the influence and importance of alternative environmental parameters used in hedonic models. The project will draw on economic and environmental information to be collected for different locations in the United States, including information currently assembled for regions in New York and Florida. The research participant will be involved in activities that may include: No deadline

Fellowships, American Association of University WomenAmerican Fellowships are for women who are US citizens/ permanent residents; International Fellowships are for women who are not. American Fellowships are for doctoral candidates; International Fellowships are also open to Masters students and postdocs. Open to applicants in all fields of study. For American Fellowships, scholars engaged in science, technology, engineering and math and also researching gender issues are especially encouraged to apply. $20,000- $30,000. 100 awards annually. November 15 (annual) for American Fellowships; December 1 (annual) for International Fellowships

Geography and Spatial Sciences Program - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (GSS-DDRI) - NSF 14-538 replaces 12-570
The Geography and Spatial Sciences Program sponsors research on the geographic distributions and interactions of human, physical, and biotic systems on Earth. Investigators are encouraged to propose plans for research about the nature, causes, and consequences of human activity and natural environmental processes across a range of scales. GSS provides support to improve the conduct of doctoral dissertation projects undertaken by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities when the dissertation research is conducted in a scientifically sound manner and it offers strong potential for enhancing more general scientific knowledge.
Second Thursday in August Annually

Internship at IBM's Almaden Research Center
IBM’s Almaden Research Center (San Jose, CA) invites applications for an internship position to conduct research in modeling viral epidemiology and possibly the impact of global climate change on vulnerable population. Applicants should have strong statistical analysis background, hands on experience working with spatio-temporal and other forms of data, and a practical knowledge of Java programming, python or R. Knowledge of mathematical modeling of infectious disease is a plus. Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the STEM web site (http://www.eclipse.org/stem/) and wiki (http://wiki.eclipse.org/index.php/STEM) to learn more about the project. We would prefer a Ph.D. student with good communication and writing skills.
Students with a demonstrated background expertise in computer science, mathematics, physics, computational genomics, bioinformatics, computational biology or equivalent areas currently enrolled in graduate programs are encouraged to apply.
Please contact Dr. Kun Hu, khu@us.ibm.com, for more information and submitting the resume. Open until filled.

Kleinhans Fellowship, Rainforest Alliance For doctoral or postdoctoral research on the impacts of non-timber forest product harvest in Latin America. Two years of support. $15,000/ year. One award annually. December 31 (annual)

NAACP Field Fellow in Environmental & Climate JusticeUnder the direct supervision of the Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program (ECJP), the ECJ Field Fellows will perform the following duties:
· Assist with campaign strategy and execution for Just Energy Policy campaigns in each state including state and local engagement in rate cases, regulatory challenges, CPP SIPs, etc.
· Maintain tracking spreadsheet of clean energy/energy efficiency policies/ordinances, SIP processes, propositions, ordinances and rate cases—Disseminate bi-weekly (minimally)
· Conduct regional and state level trainings on environmental and climate justice topics including energy efficiency, clean energy, anti-oppression organizing, strategic communications, and developing an action plan.
· Assist with identification of ECJ Chairs for each state.
· Host monthly regional ECJ Calls.
· Assist with state level trainings/press conferences in each region.
· Assist with troubleshooting/technical assistance.
· Maintain tracking spreadsheet of ECJ activities in each state in the region—Disseminate to all at monthly intervals.
· Participate in bi-monthly national ECJ calls and report out on what’s happening in the region.
· Maintain state/regional partner and coalition lists with contacts.
· Participate in regional partner calls.
· Other duties as assigned by the ECJP Director. None

NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability (SEES) Fellows - NSF 13-595 replaces 12-601
Through the SEES Fellows Program, NSF seeks to advance science, engineering, and education to inform the societal actions needed for environmental and economic sustainability and human well-being while creating the necessary workforce to address these challenges. The Program's emphasis is to facilitate investigations that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries and address issues of sustainability through a systems approach, building bridges between academic inquiry, economic growth, and societal needs. The Fellow's proposed investigation must be interdisciplinary and allow him/her to obtain research experiences beyond his/her current core disciplinary expertise. Fellows are required to develop a research partnership(s) that will advance and broaden the impact/scope of the proposed research, and present a plan for their own professional development in the area of sustainability science and engineering.
The SEES Fellowship Program is currently not accepting proposals. It is undergoing revisions at this time and the next submission deadline is uncertain.

Survey Methods and Use of Focus Groups for Valuation of Non-Market Goods and Services EPA-OP/NCEE-2015-03The goal of this project is to pursue focus group research in several areas of non-market valuation to improve our ability to estimate the economic benefits of environmental regulation. The intern will participate in research that involves the convening of focus groups to better understand how environmental amenities influence a variety of consumer decisions, including home purchases, choosing outdoor recreation destinations, and reducing the risks of adverse health outcomes. He/She will be involved in activities that may include: No deadline

Water-Related Projects - PADI FoundationSupports underwater science, environmental projects, and education...that [enriches] mankinds understanding of the aquatic environment and encourage sensitivity to and protection of the delicate ecological balance of underwater life. $2,000-$10,000. About 40 awards annually. January 31 (annual)

Opportunities for Postdoctoral Work

Fulbright Canada Postdoctoral Research Award in Leadership Development at Concordia UniversityThe postdoctoral research fellow will work collaboratively with the Concordia University Research Chair in Leadership Development and other scholars to conduct research on leadership development from a lifelong perspective. The research themes include, but are not limited to, how work and life roles affect leadership development, how leadership evolves within individuals over time, how leader effectiveness may follow from leader development activities, and the temporalities that underlie these processes. The postdoctoral fellow will coordinate existing research projects and design new projects that align with these research themes. Duties also include data analysis, collaborating on scholarly papers and conference presentations, and dissemination activities. Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB) is AACSB accredited and is a leading business school in Canada. Its internationally renowned faculty members are constantly pushing the boundaries of business research, publishing widely in peer-reviewed journals and holding senior positions on editorial boards. JMSB’s organizational culture inspires innovative research and values the importance of transferring knowledge to society. JMSB is located in Montreal, which hosts four world-renowned universities. The PhD program in Administration is a joint venture among these four business schools, and offers many opportunities for collaboration, networking, and training. Proposals accepted anytime.

International Research Scientists Development AwardThe purpose of the International Research Scientist Development Award (IRSDA) is to provide support and protected time (three to five years) to advanced postdoctoral U.S. research scientists and recently-appointed U.S. junior faculty (at least two years beyond conferral of doctoral degree) for an intensive, mentored research career development experience in a low- or middle-income country (LMIC) leading to an independently funded research career focused on global health. FIC invites applications from early-career investigators from any health related discipline who propose career development activities and a research project that is relevant to the health priorities of the LMIC. March 7, 2018

Lalor Foundation Fellowship ProgramThe Lalor Foundation postdoctoral fellowship program supports promising new researchers in establishing scientific and teaching careers. The mission of the program is to support these researchers early in their work so that they can become independently funded in the field of mammalian reproductive biology as related to the regulation of fertility. Jan. 15, 2018

Postdoctoral Fellowships for the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes ResearchThe Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR) is soliciting proposals from Regional
Consortium University Partners for two (2) CIGLR Postdoctoral Fellowships sponsored by the University of
Michigan. The goals of the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program are to 1) expand research training opportunities for
postdoctoral scientists working in the area of freshwater sustainability, and 2) enhance collaborations between
CIGLR’s University Partners and PIs at NOAA GLERL in ways that complement NOAA’s mission to improve research
effectiveness and impact in the Great Lakes. We also seek to use these fellowships to increase diversity in STEM
disciplines (science, technology, engineering and math), and thus, strongly encourage proposals that support
students from groups which have been traditionally underrepresented in government and academic workforces. Dec. 12, 2017

University of Oxford Postgraduate ScholarshipsThe Oxford-Weidenfeld and Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme aims to support outstanding postgraduate students from developing and emerging economies for post-graduate studies at the University of Oxford. Relevant areas of study include: development areas, politics; health care; environmental and water management; and economic, public, and foreign policy. Jan. 8, 2018